genius, not just physically but visually too;
it’s very easy to visualise how chords and
scales are built and how everything relates.
Once you’ve learnt how to play one octave
then you’ve learnt all the octaves: they are all
the same spatially but just at different pitches.
What’s more, the piano keyboard
(whether in an acoustic piano, electric
piano, keyboard or piano app) has become a
ubiquitous ‘industry standard’ interface
because of its clear visual feedback and ease
of use. Many of our homes will have some
sort of keyboard and most commercial or
home studios will have a synth-action
unweighted keyboard or a weighted
piano-like keyboard, either with its own
sounds built in or to use as a MIDI controller
connected (via USB, Bluetooth or a MIDI
cable) to a computer running music software.KEY CONSIDERATIONS
When starting out, most of us often don’t
have the £3k+ budget to buy a decent acoustic
piano. So for your first approaches at learning
piano you’ll likely want to start off with a
good quality keyboard or digital piano.
However, whilst unweighted keyboards
are good for learning the notes and theory,
and often have tons of sounds and features,
for learning piano you need to build
technique, so full-size weighted keys are
ideal. It’s imperative that finger strength and
dexterity is taken seriously (even for younger
players) as the more exercise you give your
fingers, the fitter they will become and the
more capable they will be for every musical
task in the future. Whilst the smaller or
unweighted synth action keys found on most
keyboards are undoubtedly easier to push
down, they don’t give your fingers the
workout they need to build strength and
accuracy and if you end up graduating to a
real acoustic piano, you will likely struggle.Now that we have established that the
ideal instrument to learn on (if you can’t
afford or don’t have room for an acoustic) is a
weighted digital piano with full-size keys
rather than a keyboard with lightweight or
smaller keys, it’s important to work out
what you really need feature-wise in order
to make learning fun and engaging.
The first consideration is your budget.
Expect to pay £200-£400 for a decent
unweighted portable keyboard and upwards
of £500 for a weighted digital piano.
Action-wise, keep in mind some like a
heavier feeling keyboard whilst others prefer
lighter-feeling keys. Again, it’s ideal if you
can get to a store (after this present
lockdown has ended) that has several of the
leading brands on display so that you can
make an informed choice. Be aware that
buying sight unseen online for yourself – or
for someone else – is risky, as the keyboard
action may feel too heavy and end up
impeding your/their learning. Thankfully,
the leading brands in keyboards and digital
home pianos, such as Korg, Yamaha, Casio,
Roland and Kawai, generally have nicely
balanced weighted actions that feel very
piano-like, so if you have to buy sight unseen
I would always try to go with a long-
established brand. Also, many of these
bigger manufacturers have learning/support
apps that work in sync with their digitalThe best instrument
to learn on is a digital
piano with full-size
weighted keys
The top three...
GEAR & APPS
TO IMPROVE
YOUR PL AYING
With these tools, you’ll be
channelling Chopin and
mimicking Mozart in no
time at allLUMI
Roli will soon be helping budding pianists
practise their craft with the release of Lumi,
a keyboard with light-up keys and partnered
app that teach you technique and new songs.
£tbc, playlumi.comSKOOVE
Skoove enables you to play along to songs
and lessons on your phone, tablet or
desktop. Its built-in AI listens to your playing
and shapes your learning.
From £8 a month, skoove.comFLOWKEY
Flowkey is an app for computers and iOS/
Android devices. It’s fully interactive,
gives you live feedback, allows you to slow
down/speed up sections for practice and is
endorsed by teachers and pianists.
)UHH ZLWKLQDSSSXUFKDVHV ćRZNH\FRPWe can’t guarantee this
idyllic location along
with the keyboard, but
you never know...01
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42 T3 JUNE 2020The complete guide to...